At present there are different elements and devices for depilation of humans. One of these elements consists of wax pastilles which are heated in a receptacle until the wax turns into a paste. It is applied while hot using a spatula or similar object on the area to be depilated and is removed when it has hardened, taking the unwanted hair with it. The need to heat the wax in a separate vessel is awkward and leaves the vessel smeared in wax and thus unsuitable for any other purpose.
Another element used for carrying out depilation comprises a supporting strip made up of a sheet of cellophane or PVC with a layer of wax on one of its sides. In order to apply the layer of wax to this type of supporting strip the wax has to be heated to a relatively high temperature, around 90.degree. C. which can cause changes in the wax and loss of some of its characteristics.
Before beginning depilation, the wax strip must be heated and given that it is attached to the support both elements are subject to the same heating thus causing the support to lose consistency and stability. This variation in the physical characteristics of the support means that during depilation parts of the wax strip come away from the support and get stuck to the user's skin.
If the strip is applied at a lower temperature in order to prevent the wax pieces from coming away from the support, tale supporting strip becomes rather stiff making it difficult to adapt the strip to the areas to be waxed.
The obvious solution to this problem would be to use a support strip of such a type that its stability and properties are not affected by the changes in temperature which these strips undergo when they are being used or worked.
Other wax strips are known, such as the one covered by U.S. Pat. No. 1,620,539 which comprises a support made up of a fabric strip on which the wax is applied to both sides which are joined together via the holes or pores in the fabric. This wax strip prevents the wax from separating from the support as it is tightly bound to the fabric, but has the disadvantage that it requires a large quantity of wax which adds to final cost as only one of the sides is useable.
At present some electrical devices are also available for depilation amongst which the most important are those based on a kind of spiral which uses a vibrating movement to pluck out the hair. Although these devices are clean and easy to use they are not as efficient as waxing.